Trustee: Penn State should seek refund for report

Associated Press
Former Penn State University assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky arrives at the Centre County Courthouse for a post-sentence motion in Bellefonte Jan. 10.

STATE COLLEGE – A Penn State trustee says a consultant should be asked to return “some or all” of the millions of dollars Penn State University paid for an internal investigation into the handling of sexual abuse allegations.

Trustee Anthony Lubrano has been a critic of the $6.5 million report by former FBI director Louis Freeh, which concluded that longtime coach Joe Paterno and three former administrators covered up child sexual abuse allegations against former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky.

Lubrano, who joined the board last year after drawing support from disgruntled alumni, cited another report commissioned by the Paterno family and released earlier this month that said Freeh’s investigation resulted in a “rush to injustice.”

“The Freeh report purports to be the result of something that it is not – a full and complete investigation,” Lubrano said in a statement Sunday. “Putting aside its inaccuracy and unfairness, the Freeh report is far from complete, and as a result, I believe Penn State is entitled to a refund.”

Penn State spokesman David La Torre declined comment Sunday.

Several other board members have also called for re-examination of the report in light of the critique in the Paterno family’s report. Freeh has stood by his findings and called the family’s report a “self-serving” effort to shape the legacy of Paterno, who died in January 2012 at age 85.

Sandusky is serving a 30 to 60-year prison term following conviction on 45 counts of child sexual abuse involving 10 boys. He maintains his innocence.

Former university president Graham Spanier, athletic director Tim Curley and retired vice president Gary Schultz are awaiting trial on obstruction, conspiracy and other charges. They have maintained their innocence.